Nominal salary tells you how much money you receive. Cost-of-living-adjusted salary tells you how much that money can actually buy. A $200,000 salary in San Francisco and a $140,000 salary in Austin can provide nearly identical purchasing power. Tax differences are not included.
Where Should I Live?
Nominal vs COL-Adjusted Salary
| # | Location | Median (Nominal) | COL Index | Adjusted | COL Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $160,000 | 138.5 | $115,523 | #1 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $143,208 | 138.5 | $103,399 | #7 (-5) |
| 3 | Cupertino, CA | $136,285 | 138.5 | $98,401 | #9 (-6) |
| 4 | Mountain View, CA | $136,000 | 138.5 | $98,195 | #10 (-6) |
| 5 | Sunnyvale, CA | $135,000 | 138.5 | $97,473 | #11 (-6) |
| 6 | Palo Alto, CA | $130,919 | 138.5 | $94,526 | #12 (-6) |
| 7 | South San Francisco, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #13 (-6) |
| 8 | Redmond, WA | $130,000 | 114.6 | $113,438 | #2 (+6) |
| 9 | Bellevue, WA | $125,000 | 114.6 | $109,075 | #3 (+6) |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $120,000 | 114.6 | $104,712 | #6 (+4) |
| 11 | Milpitas, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #18 (-7) |
| 12 | Santa Clara, CA | $115,000 | 138.5 | $83,032 | #20 (-8) |
| 13 | San Jose, CA | $113,000 | 138.5 | $81,588 | #22 (-9) |
| 14 | New York, NY | $112,500 | 125.1 | $89,928 | #14 |
| 15 | Irvine, CA | $108,552 | 138.5 | $78,377 | #23 (-8) |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $99,923 | 92.3 | $108,259 | #4 (+12) |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $98,800 | 92.7 | $106,580 | #5 (+12) |
| 18 | Burlington, MA | $96,034 | 146.5 | $65,552 | #28 (-10) |
| 19 | Hillsboro, OR | $93,954 | 113.1 | $83,072 | #19 |
| 20 | Beaverton, OR | $92,750 | 113.1 | $82,007 | #21 (-1) |
| 21 | Folsom, CA | $92,477 | 138.5 | $66,770 | #26 (-5) |
| 22 | Houston, TX | $92,000 | 92.7 | $99,245 | #8 (+14) |
| 23 | San Diego, CA | $90,854 | 138.5 | $65,599 | #27 (-4) |
| 24 | Herndon, VA | $90,000 | 100.7 | $89,374 | #15 (+9) |
| 25 | Westford, MA | $89,544 | 146.5 | $61,122 | #30 (-5) |
| 26 | Fremont, CA | $86,955 | 138.5 | $62,783 | #29 (-3) |
| 27 | Germantown, MD | $85,301 | 116.5 | $73,220 | #25 (+2) |
| 28 | Chandler, AZ | $84,460 | 108.4 | $77,915 | #24 (+4) |
| 29 | Raleigh, NC | $83,886 | 95.7 | $87,655 | #17 (+12) |
| 30 | FARMINGTON HILLS, MI | $80,000 | 90.6 | $88,300 | #16 (+14) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Computer Hardware Engineers is in Menlo Park, CA at $160,000, but after cost-of-living adjustment Menlo Park, CA offers the best purchasing power at $115,523 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Houston, TX ranks #22 by nominal pay but climbs to #8 once cost of living is factored in (up 14 spots), making its $92,000 go a lot further.
- Beware: Burlington, MA looks strong at #18 on nominal pay ($96,034) but its high cost of living drops it 10 spots to #28 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Computer Hardware Engineers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.